Bottle capper



Nov. 11,1947.

J. T. SHANAHAN 2,430,51 I

BOTTLE CAPPER Filed Dec. 2, 1944 glwumafm Patented Nov. 11, 194 7 UNITED STATES :PATENT OFFICE BQTTLE CARTER John T. Shanahan, Dubuque, Iowa Application December 2, 1944, Serial No. 566,303

7 3 Claims. 1

Thi i en r la e generally t ss f siteh n an bl r e and perta n a larly to an improved bottle capremover and replacer or capper.

The caps or closures for receptacles in which many types of carbonated beverages and liquids are marketed, are of such a character that when they have been removed, they are bent or deformed to such an extent that it is not possible to replace them by ordinary means, in such a Way as to safely retain the contents in the receptacle, particularly where the liquid in the receptacle contains gas under pressure. Accordingly, various types of auxiliary closures or caps have been devised for use closing the mouth of the receptacle after the regular or ordinary crimped cap has been removed.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a device, by means of which the usual or ordinary crimped cap with which the mouth of the beverage container is securely closed, may be replaced and secured tightly in position so that the receptacle mouth will be securely sealed against the escape of liquid or gases even though such gases may be under considerable pressure in the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined bottle cap remover and capping device in which the remover and the capper are coupled together in a novel manner so that one may be formed from sheet metal of suitable weight while the other may be separately formed from a heavier metal body.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the acompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view of the underside of the handle and head of the device before the capper is applied.

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing the capper secured in position to form the complete device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the capper per se.

Referring now more particularly to the draw-@ ing', the numeral [8 generally designates the handle portion of the opener and capper device of the present invention while the capper proper is generally designated H.

In accordance with the present invention, the handle I comprises a body of sheet metal, I 2, of suitable length which is of slightly greater width at its outer or free end I3 than at the inner end which is defined by a relatively narrow neck por tion it. At the, inner end the neck portion merges with a substantially circular head plate l5, against the inner face of which the capper positions.

Portions of the longitudinal sides of the handle body are bent inwardly to form the flanges l6 and these flanges are extended as indicated at l6, partly around the circular head portion l5 beyond the, transverse center thereof from the handle side, being straight initially at the head ends to facilitate the insertion of the capper therebetween.

At the edge of the head portion I5 diametrically opposite from the handle side of such portion, the head part is extended to form the integral lip At the free or outer end of the handle, the material is cut out between the flanges Hi to form the jaw opening i8, the edge IQ of which forms the jaw proper for engagement under the edge of a bottle cap to efiect the removal of the same in the usual and well-known manner.

The material of the handle between the opening l8 and the adjacent end edge, is pressed outwardly in the opposite direction from the flanges I6, to form a strengthening o-r reinforcing rib 2|].

The capper Ii comprises a turned cylindrical body 2| formed of suitable metal, preferably soft steel.

Around the body 2| there is cut, adjacent to one end, the groove 22, which is at the proper distance from the top of the body 2| to receive the edges of the flanges l6 of the handle head plate I5.

After the body 2| has been placed in position against the head plate l5 of the handle with the flanges l6 engaging in the groove 22, the ends of the flanges and the lip I! are bent inward, with the lip disposed across the adjacent side of the body 2|, and the free edge thereof is forced into the groove 22, as shown in Figure 3, to firmly lock the capper to the head end of the handle.

The body 2| is out out in the end opposite from the head plate IE to provide the cylindrical recess or chamber 23 which is of a diameter to snugly receive a crimped bottle cap such as is commonly employed for closing ginger ale, beer and soft drinks bottles.

The outer edge of the cap receiving recess or chamber 23, is beveled as indicated at 24 to provide a slanting, camming surface which is designed to engage against the outwardly fiaring crimped portion of the edge of the bottle cap when the cap is forced up into the recess 23.

In the use of the present device, it will be readily apparent that after the cap has been removed and it is desired to replace it and secure it in sealing position upon the mouth of the bottle, the cap will be laid in position over the bottle mouth and the capper II will then be placed over the cap so that the cap will lie within the recess 23.

By then striking a sharp blow upon the top of l the head plate l5 and consequently upon the capper H, the cap will be forced down onto the rim of the bottle mouth and as the slanting or beveled edge 24 of the recess 23 comes to bear against the outwardly flaring edge of the cap, such edge will be forced downwardly and inwardly so as to return to its locking engagement under the flange provided around the bottle mouth for this purpose.

From the foregoing, it Will be apparent that there is provided in the device of the present application a handy and efficient article by means of which a crimped metal bottle cap of the usual style employed in closing ginger ale, beer and similar bottles, may be easily and quickly replaced to tightly close the bottle mouth, thereby avoiding the necessity of keeping at hand various types of auxiliary caps or closers such as are at present employed.

I claim:

1. A bottle cap replacing device, comprising a relatively long body member forming a handle and provided at one end with an enlarged substantially circular head, a flange formed at opposite sides of the head and extending from the handle part way around the head beyond the transverse center of the head, a circular body disposed against one side of said head and having an encircling groove in which said flange is secured, said circular body having a recess formed in the end opposite from the head, to receive a crimp sealed bottle cap, and means forming a camming surface around the outer end of the recess for effecting the constriction of the cap around a bottle mouth when the member is forcibly driven, with the cap therein, onto the bottle mouth.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, in which the said camming means comprises a beveled surface formed around the outer end edge of the cap receiving recess.

3. A device of the character stated in claim 1, in which the member is designed to be slidably inserted between the said flanges, and a tongue forming an integral extension of the edge of the handle head upon the side of the head opposite from the handle, and adapted to be bent down across the adjacent side of the member for looking engagement in the groove.

JOHN T. SHANAHAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,116,438 Kalkbrenner Nov. 10, 1914 2,323,621 Penney July 6, 1943 1,360,321 Rosenfeld Nov. 30, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 183,821 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1923 27,609 Australia. July 3, 1930 

